Day 19~ Words that our kids should know how to use.

Yesterday, I posted about teenagers and dating. There’s so much more I wanted to say and that I could have/should have said. But I’ll leave it for another day. Regardless of whether you agreed with me or not, you have to concede that it is important to know where you stand on the issues of dating, sex and more of these pressing social issues. We’re raising the next generation and at the core of our methods in child-rearing and teaching is the fundamentals of our belief system. Do you ascribe to a Biblical Worldview or a Relative Worldview? Do you hold up your decisions to the Word of God or do you go with whatever feels good in the moment? This is really important. You cannot use a scriptural basis for one decision but throw it out for the next. Consistency is key and if you’re going to say that one thing is wrong, then you have to back it up. Kids are smart. I think in many ways kids are more socially aware now than ever before. They may not have all the book smarts of previous generations but they’re perceptive and maturing at a faster rate when it comes to their bodies and the life-issues they face.

It has really bothered me how we have softened our language. A lot of it has come because of a politically correct worldview that says some words are no longer acceptable or are too harsh. Really, what it boils down to is people are scared. Scared to say what something is. Scared to call it out. Scared that someone might be offended. Scared that they might stir things up. It never used to be that way. It used to be that for some things there was only one word.

My mom grew up in a family where English was not the mother-tongue. They spoke Low German. And if you’ve ever heard Low German or any other German dialect you will understand that some things are better said in German. Stories are funnier. Phrases have life and vigor that really mean nothing in English. My dad, I never heard him swear or cuss until I was a teenager. We were out feeding chickens and I don’t know how it came up but he said *shit*. I was shocked. We never used such language. In our house, vulgar language, cursing, swearing..absolutely outlawed and truthfully, they are unnecessary words. I gasped. My dad laughed and said, “It’s chicken shit. If it’s shit, call it shit.” I have NEVER forgotten that. ***If it’s SHIT, call it SHIT.*** That is a profound statement. And so, what are we teaching our kids by not giving them the correct terms and appropriate language to call things? We’re buffering them from the harshness in the world. We’re shielding them from a certain truthful reality. Everything is not soft and politically correct. Things in this world are messy, dirty and uncomfortable. Issues are hard and painful and awful. If it’s shit, call it shit.

We call pro-abortionists : Pro Choice(hey, I’m all about choice…I like to choose my cereal, my underwear, my clothes, my drink. I like choosing where to go on holidays. I’m definitely PRO CHOICE. But I am NOT Pro Abortion)

We call Anti-abortionists : Pro Life. Here’s the problem~ you can be AGAINST abortion but FOR capital punishment or euthanasia. How is that PRO LIFE? I am definitely changing my mind on this one. I used to be okay with capital punishment for child murders, rapists and the like. But I can’t anymore. My faith is solidly founded on the word of God which says “Thou Shalt Not Kill”

Pre-Marital Sex~ sounds harmless enough. In fact , we’ve pretty much downplayed this to a point where it is not that big of a deal and up to each person to choose for themselves(as in Pro Choice). But in reality, this is FORNICATION. Sounds Biblical and pretty outrageous. But it is a sin. It is against God’s laws and it used to be illegal(still is in some countries).

Affairs~ oh, doesn’t that sound nice? An affair can’t be that bad. Two consenting adults finding love in each other’s arms….oops, but wait. That’s adultery. ADULTERY. Up until a short time ago it was illegal in North America. In fact, it’s still used as grounds for divorce!

Sexual Assault~ This one bugs me because I don’t know what it means anymore. We hear on the news about all kinds of assault but you never really know if it was rape. Yes, RAPE. It is horrible and awful and it is not to be downplayed.

Infanticide~ different than abortion because it happens after birth but not bad enough to be murder. So, legally you can kill a baby in the womb but not when it comes out. But if you do kill it when it comes out, you won’t be charged with murder..you’ll get a lesser charge of infanticide because somehow a helpless baby is not as bad as killing an older child or adult. ????

Homicide/Manslaughter~ we have a multitude of names for murder. Murder is murder. Killing is killing.

Miscarriage~ we used to call that “losing a baby”. WE can’t say that anymore because it might make someone considering abortion feel bad. Or it might cause more grief than necessary. After all, miscarrying a fetus isn’t something to cry over…you can always try again. Ummm..no. A baby is a baby. A baby that dies in your womb is tragic just as a baby dying in your arms.

I’m sure you could think of more. But what I wanted to convey is that we have softened our language so much that we have actually made some pretty awful stuff “okay”. Anything can be justified if you use the right language. Why is it that so many defense attorneys get guilty people off? Because of wording. Wording carries weight. It is one reason why I do not condone swearing. Swearing minimizes the Name of God to something dirty and ignorant. Cursing(cussing) or vulgar language degrades women,natural body functions and God’s authority.

How do you handle language in your home? Do you care about what comes out of your mouth or your childrens’ mouths? Do you teach your children the correct usage of words? It’s something to think about.

Me:Prairie Girl!

My name is Juanita and I live on the western prairies of Canada. It's not winter here all the time! Honest. But I do love winter. I love photography. I love my family and I love people. I have a passion for truth and I'm learning to temper that with love and gentleness...slow learner I think. ;)